Radial engine



ct. 31, 1944. P. w. \ININTER 2,361,727

RADIAL ENGINE Filed April 15, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 my. .2. 22 f0 2 7* n. 7-7- I r II /.9 I /3 I r. II. I I

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RADIAL ENGINE Filed April 15, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 31, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIAL ENGINE Paul W. Winter, Arkansas City, Kans.

Application April 15, 1943, Serial No. 483,183 1 Claim. (01.123-171) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in radial engines, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a power plant of this type comprising an air cooling system embodying a novel construction and arrangement whereby all of the cylinders will be uniformly and efficiently cooled.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a radial, air cooled engine of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efiicient and reliable in operation, compact, lightin weight, and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of an engine constructed in accordance with the present invention, the upper portion of the cooling system being broken away in vertical longitudinal section.

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the engine with a portion of the cooling means broken away in section.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through one of the cylinders.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through one of the cylinders taken at right angles to Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, showing one of the cylinders in top plan.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of one of the cylinder jackets.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in elevation, looking at the upper rear portion of the engine substantially from the line I'I of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that reference numeral I designates an elongated crank case having journaled longitudinally therein a crank shaft 2. Banks of cylinders 3 radiate from the crank case I. The cylinders 3 are provided with renewable liners 4. Pistons 5 are operable in the cylinders 3, said pistons being connected in the usual manner to the crank shaft 2 by rods 6.

Mounted longitudinally on the walls and the heads of the cylinders 3 are heat dissipating fins I. If desired, the fins I, the heads 8, the cylinders 3, et cetera, may be integral.

Air jackets 9 enclose the fins I in spaced, concentric relation to the cylinders 3, said jackets projecting beyond the heads 8 of the cylinders. The outer ends of the jackets 9 are partially closed by covers III which are formed to provide openings Illa at the outer ends of jackets 9 (Fig. 6). Intake and exhaust passages II, for connection with suitable manifolds (not shown) communicate with the cylinders 3 through the heads 9 thereof. Valves I2 control the passages II, said valves being opened by rocker arms I3, push rods I4, et cetera. The stems I5 of the valves I2 are slidable in vertical guides I6 which are provided therefor in the walls of the passages I I. In addition to the elements I3, I4, et cetera, the fins I are also arranged to accommodate spark plugs H in the cylinder heads 8. It will be observed that the inner ends of the air jackets 9 are spaced from the crank case I.

Annular bafiles I8 encircle the crank case I in back of each ring or circle of the cylinders 3. As illustrated to advantage in Figure l of the drawings, the outer diameter of the annular bailles I8 progressively increases from the first to the last of said baffies. The baflles I8, with the exception of the rearmost thereof, are provided, on their outer peripheries, with forwardly projecting flanges I9. The flanges I9 are cut out or recessed at spaced points to accommodate the air jackets 9.

In lieu of a flange I9, the rearmost bafile I8 has formed integrally therewith a forwardly projecting tubular or annular cowl 20 or attached to rear inner wall 2! which encircles the crank case I in spaced concentric relation thereto. The annular cowl 20 comprises spaced inner and outer walls 2| and 22, respectively, forming a chamber 23 which is open at its rear end. The outer wall 22 diverges rearwardly from the inner wall 2I of the cowl 20. Thus, the chamber 23 progressively increases in size or capacity toward its rear end to equal the space between the cow] 20 and the crank case I at the front of the engine. The outer portions of the air jackets 9 project into the cowl 20 through the inner wall 2| thereof and communicate with the chamber inner ends thereof. As the engine travels forwardly, suction is created in the chamber 23 with the result that the air is drawn rapidly through the jackets 9 between the fins 1 and around the cylinders 3 into the chamber 23. The construction and arrangement is such that the jackets 9 receive substantially equal quantities or volumes of air for uniformly cooling all of the cylinders 3. If desired, the cylinders 3 may be provided with relatively shallow cooling fins from the inner. ends of the jackets 9 to the crank case I.

It is believed that the many advantages of a radial engine comprising a cooling system in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which ternal longitudinal fins on the outer portions of said cylinders having lateral extensions at their outer ends extending across the heads of said cylinders, air jackets enclosing said fins and having outer end walls provided with air outlet openings, the inner ends of said jackets being spaced from the crankcase for admission of air therein, radial annular baflles on the crankcase projecting outwardly between adjacent banks of the cylinders forprogressively increasing distances from front to rear of the motor, forwardly projecting annular flanges on the outer edgesof all but the rearmost one of said baflies and recessed to receive and partially embrace the cylinders, and a hollow tubular cowl encircling the crankcase in spaced concentric relation to the latter and including rearwardly diverging annular inner and outer walls defining a chamber therein closed at the front and open at the rear, the other portions of said jackets projecting through the inner Wall of said cowl into said chamber thereof, the rear edge'of the inner wall of the cowl connecting with the outer edge of the rearmost bafile.

PAUL W. WINTER. 

